Suggestions for track newbie?

Hello got a 458 few months ago. I'm really interested in tracking the car/taking lessons. Any suggestions for a beginner on where to start?

Thanks

 

Unless you have prior track experience, I think a great way to start is to not take
your 458 out until you track some other cars first, like rent them.
Chuckwalla, located out past Indio rents Mustangs along with instructors by the day.

I am looking at this myself, even though I have some track experience- since
I want to try that track with my 360. This way I can learn it in their car.

Tracking costs a lot....so while their daily rate for car and instruction seems steep,
tire wear, pad wear, oil changes, brake flush, alignment, rock chips, etc. etc. take
their toll and cost bucks.

FCA did a track day there last year, Ferrari's only, another way to acclimate to the
track. While there was a unfortunate death at Chuckwalla just past month, it still
looks like one of the safer tracks to drive.
Bad part is that the season has just about passed, too hot most days !

If you decide to do a Chuckwalla rental, pm me I may go also.

 

Agree with above, if you're just starting out, I'd definitely get instruction in a lower potential cost car. Anything can happen at the track. Instruction is definitely the best investment. Also, it's good to learn off momentum cars - this way you don't use HP as a crutch to cover up mistakes on learning the line, braking, throttle modulation, etc.

Have fun and be safe!

 

I disagree. Fun is fun. You bought the 458 to have fun. So have fun at your level. If you are asking this question then is sounds like you don't know much about being on track. Others make some nice points but assume you are going to go balls to the wall exposing your 458 to damage. Well you can be on track and take no more risk than being on the 405 freeway but just like driving the 405 don't be texting and fiddling with your nav system. Pay attention and think with your brain, leave your ego at the door.
If you have no clue if you like the sport go online to helmet city and buy a cheap sa2010 helmet for under 300 bucks. Sign up with speedventures.com when they go to autoclub speedway. There they will have a small autocross course and the roval road race course. Sign up for both. The format will be roval every 4th session and you can run auto-x when not on the roval. That will give you a taste of two sports auto-x racing between cones where the most damage is usually cone rubbing on lower valance and real race track road course where you can be in a beginner group and keep speeds just above freeway speeds and minimize your risk of you causing damage or others causing you damage. So then you can see which performance sport you might like better. SV has instructors who are mostly long time trackers and some racers who can show you how to handle track features and you can follow instructor cars on track too. This is no substitute for real instruction from say a skip barbar race school but it is a great way to get a track intro for around 500 bucks helmet included! Then if you like the track you can learn about clear bras to protect paint, real school, going faster, OEM 4 pt belts and OEM race seats, real race seats, HANS, rollcages etc. .
I started going to the track from a first time lunchtime drive around. Years later I'm racing a T2 vette with SCCA and I occasionally track my 550M and used to race a 348 challenge car. I just got back from racing at the Circuit of the Americas in march and had so much fun I plan to do a nationwide tour of race tracks. I run with speedventures regularly except in the heat of summer. If you keep in touch with me I can help you get started and show you where the gottchas are on the local tracks, where to find gear, how to install it, how to prep yourself and your car for a trackday. I can help you the first times around the track and lead you around until you feel like going solo. The speedventure guys are a great crew. You start to learn the names, faces, commraderie follows and soon you will be hooked like a bad heroin addiction. So the real question is do you really want to do this? All it takes is one hit on the crack pipe!

 

Fat Billy Bob is right on.

 

I've run many different cars through the years from Vintage Formula Vee to 06 Z06 Take the 458, go with a group like "speed ventures" multiple instructors available, different run groups.As much seat time as you will be able to handle. Don't worry about using your 458, it's meant to be driven. Track time is way safer than driving with street or highway traffic.